Hiring outlook brightens as 79% of HR leaders see new jobs in H2

According to Naukri’s H2 2026 Hiring Outlook, based on responses from more than 540 senior HR leaders and hiring decision-makers, 97% expect hiring — including both new and replacement positions — to continue during July-December, while 79% foresee the creation of entirely new jobs.

Real estate is the most optimistic sector, with 86% of its HR leaders expecting fresh job creation, followed by FMCG at 85% and IT and technology at 83%, up from 79% in the first half of the year. Manufacturing and healthcare are at 79%, while 72% of BFSI HR leaders expect new roles to emerge.

Business development, marketing and IT are expected to account for the highest hiring, with 45%, 37% and 31% of HR leaders, respectively, anticipating maximum recruitment in these functions. Business development is likely to see broad-based demand, while BFSI is expected to seek core finance talent. FMCG and manufacturing will focus more on operations, with IT continuing to prioritise technology-driven roles.

Hiring demand is also expected to remain strong among early- and mid-career professionals. About 62% of HR leaders expect maximum hiring in the 0-3 years’ experience bracket, while 57% see stronger demand for candidates with 4-7 years of experience.

AI, meanwhile, is emerging more as a job creator than a threat. About 86% of HR leaders do not expect significant job losses due to AI. More than a fifth of HR leaders in IT and BFSI expect AI to create new roles over the next six months, particularly in IT, marketing and analytics.

Skill alignment, however, remains the biggest hiring challenge, cited by 31% of HR leaders. Attrition is expected to remain moderate, with 83% forecasting rates below 15%, while 58% expect average salary increments to remain below 10%.

Hitesh Oberoi, MD and CEO, Info Edge, said the emergence of new roles would make continuous skill-building critical for both employers and professionals.